Former France international David Trezeguet has left United Arab Emirates side Bani Yas after just two appearances, citing a persistent thigh injury.

Everton have signed Dutchman Royston Drenthe from Real Madrid on a season-long loan.

The Spanish Professional Footballers’ Union (AFE) and Liga de Futbol Profesional (LFP) have begun their latest meeting in a bid to find a solution to avert strike action for the opening two rounds of the new Spanish season.

The start of the Spanish season looks set to be delayed after talks to avert strike action for this weekend’s opening fixtures today failed to produce an agreement.

WIND back to August, and a one-on-one chat with Barcelona’s new signing David Villa at the training ground. A recent World Cup winner, Villa was enthusing about his new life at Camp Nou when Barça’s press chief walked past.

THE LAST week has seen an enormous outpouring of national introspection in relation to how we will get out of the economic mess.

JOSE MOURINHO was unable to shed any light on whether Portuguese superstar Cristiano Ronaldo would be fit for Real Madrid’s Champions League clash against Lyon tonight when he briefed the media yesterday.

Barcelona’s lead over Real Madrid at the top of the Primera Division is down to five points after they were held 1-1 by Sevilla in a thrilling contest at the Estadio Sanchez Pizjuan this evening.

Emmanuel Adebayor has begged the Football Association to take pity on his Manchester City team-mate Kolo Toure.

UN final sin titulo: a final in all but name.

MANCHESTER CITY are just a home win over Reading away from their first FA Cup semi-final since 1981 after a thumping victory over Aston Villa last night.

REAL MADRID overcame the second-minute dismissal of Iker Casillas to beat Espanyol 1-0 last night and move to within five points of fierce rivals Barcelona at the top of the Primera Division.

Cristiano Ronaldo grabbed a brace as Real Madrid returned to within seven points of Primera Division leaders Barcelona with a 4-1 victory over Real Sociedad at the Bernabeu.

PAMPLONA is no city for old men — or faint hearts. The favoured local entertainment is when they release the bulls into the streets every morning during the Fiesta of San Fermín.

Barcelona defender Dani Alves is set to miss the next two weeks of the season after picking up a calf injury during last night’s 4-1 win over Malaga.

THE minnows of Spanish football generally know their place, but for a while on Saturday it seemed as if Hercules might really live up to their name.

Barcelona defender Gerard Pique has urged his team-mates to put their disappointing 1-1 home draw with Real Mallorca down to a “stumble” and focus their attention forward rather than dwell on the game.

Antonio Alvarez has conceded Sevilla’s early elimination from the Champions League meant he was always living on borrowed time.

BARCELONA star Lionel Messi is set to spend up to three weeks on the sidelines with an ankle sprain.

Real Madrid coach Jose Mourinho admitted a draw would have been a fairer result from last night's tough trip to Real Sociedad and described his side's three-point haul as "golden".

LIONEL MESSI was denied a hat-trick but Barcelona put their shock Primera Division defeat to Hercules behind them as they opened their UEFA Champions League campaign with a crushing 5-1 win over Panathinaikos.

Celtic boss Neil Lennon is set to offer Georgios Samaras a new contract.

Juventus have confirmed the departure of French striker David Trezeguet after 10 years at the club.

The agent of Italy midfielder Mauro Camoranesi claims the player is the subject of an official approach from Birmingham.

Celtic manager Neil Lennon has admitted that Spanish club Hercules Almelo have made a move to sign Georgios Samaras.

PARACHUTISTS dropped from the sky over Normandy yesterday to remember British servicemen who made the first landings on D-Day, 65 years ago.

Bank of Ireland Private Banking today announced that it has acquired a 50% interest in Gallions Reach Shopping Park for £78.8m (€116m) on behalf of a number of its private clients.

A Hercules military transport plane crashed into a house shortly after take off from an Algerian airport today, killing at least 17 people, many of them children.

At least 12 people were killed today when a Hercules military transport plane crashed into a house near the Algerian capital.

A Hercules military transport plane crashed in a residential area outside the Algerian capital today and there were “numerous casualties” said state radio.

A protest at Shannon airport has passed off peacefully.

The US Government is investigating trading in shares of 38 companies, including major airlines, cruise lines, General Motors and Raytheon, to determine if people used advance knowledge of the terror attacks to profit.

An advanced party of British troops today set off for Macedonia to start assessing conditions for collecting weapons from Albanian rebel groups.